The rail strike could help the Tories retain Tiverton & Honiton
One of the factors that could have an impact on the Tory defence of the Tiverton and Honiton by-election on June 23rd is that this is one of the days earmarked for the national rail strikes at the end of June.
A big factor in the LD campaign so far has been the really excellent rail links that Tiverton has as can be seen in the London to Tirverton Parkway time-table above. Every hour there is a service from London, for instance, that does it in less than two hours. There is even an hourly service from York with a whole host of connections.
Davey’s party is successful in by-elections when it can attract hundreds of activists from all over the country to do the groundwork knocking on doors, delivering and meeting face to face.
The party’s on the day operations have proved themselves to be particularly effective but that requires perhaps hundred of activists there on the ground.
The strikes are planned for: Tuesday 21 June; Thursday 23 June; Saturday 25 June which essentially means that it is going to be a lot harder to travel for most of that week.
The strike could also impact on the Labour campaign to win back Wakefield.